Faculty awarded prestigious no-frills MacArthur grants
Peter Pronovost describes his method of applied research
[Related: Read about Adam Riess's grant.]
Peter Pronovost, the eighth Hopkins faculty member to receive the MacArthur Fellowship, is credited with the creation of a simple safety checklist which has led to the prevention of thousands of deaths due to catheter-related blood infections in the states in which it has been implemented.
News-Letter (N-L):?What will you do with the MacArthur Fellowship Grant.
Peter Pronovost (PP): I'm not quite sure yet. Hopefully I can use it to provide some time for reflecting on riskier or more innovative ideas.
One of the fundamental problems in health care (and with the financial crisis) is an inefficient knowledge market. The financial problems and the health care problems are similar - risks are opaque. Somebody is aware of the risk, but the decision maker isn't more aware. Checklists are a potential tool to work with that, a tool to tap into the knowledge of the community.
N-L:?Can you explain a little bit about the checklists you've helped devise, which the MacArthur foundation highlighted in giving you this Award?
PP:?Pilot testing at Hopkins eliminated catheter infections. I then did a study at Univeristy of Michigan where checklists proved immensely successful ... The problem isn't to make a checklist but to get people to use the checklist. We've received grants to start putting?the checklist in 10 more states, and?we're partnering with the WHO to put the program in several countries.
N-L:?How did you decide on your area of research??
PP:?When I was in school, the mantra was always pick a project that's important. To me, this formula seemed lacking. I also asked how does this make the world better?
The opportunity to improve health is to focus on how health care is offered.
This checklist is supposed to have been more successful at saving lives than many interventions that have been recently devised ... What really turns me on is making a difference, making the world a better place.
Peter Pronovost, the eighth Hopkins faculty member to receive the MacArthur Fellowship, is credited with the creation of a simple safety checklist which has led to the prevention of thousands of deaths due to catheter-related blood infections in the states in which it has been implemented.
News-Letter (N-L):?What will you do with the MacArthur Fellowship Grant.
Peter Pronovost (PP): I'm not quite sure yet. Hopefully I can use it to provide some time for reflecting on riskier or more innovative ideas.
One of the fundamental problems in health care (and with the financial crisis) is an inefficient knowledge market. The financial problems and the health care problems are similar - risks are opaque. Somebody is aware of the risk, but the decision maker isn't more aware. Checklists are a potential tool to work with that, a tool to tap into the knowledge of the community.
N-L:?Can you explain a little bit about the checklists you've helped devise, which the MacArthur foundation highlighted in giving you this Award?
PP:?Pilot testing at Hopkins eliminated catheter infections. I then did a study at Univeristy of Michigan where checklists proved immensely successful ... The problem isn't to make a checklist but to get people to use the checklist. We've received grants to start putting?the checklist in 10 more states, and?we're partnering with the WHO to put the program in several countries.
N-L:?How did you decide on your area of research??
PP:?When I was in school, the mantra was always pick a project that's important. To me, this formula seemed lacking. I also asked how does this make the world better?
The opportunity to improve health is to focus on how health care is offered.
This checklist is supposed to have been more successful at saving lives than many interventions that have been recently devised ... What really turns me on is making a difference, making the world a better place.
Be the first to comment on this story